A Learning Curve
by Anniexus
Summary: Up until “Infinite Regress” Chakotay and Seven didn’t have much to do with each other. A quick look at one of the personalities that developed when Seven was affected by the infected Borg vinculum and how it made Chakotay take another look at her as a per


Commander Chakotay entered sickbay to find a most unusual scene. The Doctor was in his office, staring over medical charts and test results. Classical music blared from the open door. Chakotay assumed it was to block out whatever ruckus Seven may have been making earlier.

Seven of Nine was in the surgical alcove. She was lying on the bio bed, which was surrounded by a large mess. Apparently one of her personalities had thrown a tantrum. Medical tools lay scattered on the floor, one of the scanners had been smashed open, and a cart lay on its side. The Doctor looked up just long enough to indicate that Chakotay would have to wait a moment for his attention.

While he waited, Chakotay took a closer look at Seven. She appeared to be sleeping, but he knew she didn't sleep. Still, her ribcage rose and fell steadily and her face was peaceful. He moved a bit closer, not so much as to invade her privacy, but enough to get a better view.

Seven's eyes opened and she sat up so fast and robotically that Chakotay jumped. Her demeanour changed yet again, becoming more relaxed and casual. Getting comfortable, she reclined back on the bed. She looked around indifferently, as though unsurprised to be in a Starfleet sickbay. Her roving eyes fell on Chakotay and her whole body stilled.

A smile appeared on Seven's pink lips. It had a quality to it that Chakotay never would have expected from Seven. It was… there was no other word for it besides seductive. It shocked him.

"Hello," she said, her voice likewise tempting. The way she stared at him and reclined even further made his throat go dry.

"Hello." The effort of forcing out the simple word snapped him back to his senses. This was Seven after all. Not only was she off limits and not his type, but she definitely wouldn't act like this on a normal day. She was ill thanks to that damn vinculum.

"And what is a big guy like you doing in sickbay?" Her voice was a definite purr.

Chakotay decided to keep his answers simple and try to discourage her seductive attitude. Despite turning away from her so that he looked in at the Doctor instead of the surgical bay, he had to clear his throat before answering. "Waiting for the Doctor."

"Why don't you come over here and wait?"

Chakotay ignored her.

"Come on. I could use some company."

He continued to ignore her.

"Fine. I understand." She sat up and turned her back on him.

All was silent for about a minute. Gradually, Chakotay became aware of the sound of crying. The idea that Seven could cry was so foreign that it took another few minutes for him to pinpoint the source of the feminine sobs. He wondered if it was another personality.

Though he knew it wasn't really Seven and that most of her personalities to date had been less than pleasant, he couldn't just leave her alone crying. It just wasn't within his nature, even if this new personality was simply putting on a show.

He sighed and went a little closer, feeling bad. "Are you all right?" There was no answer so Chakotay moved closer. "What's your name?"

Seven sniffled. "Elsa."

"Elsa?" The way this personality was acting, he wondered just how old she had been when assimilated.

Seven nodded.

"How old are you?"

"16." She sniffled.

"16? Elsa --"

"You don't have to force pleasantries," she interrupted. "I'm used to being ignored."

"I don't want to ignore you," he said, coming closer in order to hear her.

"But you don't want to have anything to do with me either. I know."

"No, I just know you're not… yourself right now."

"Please, I've been here all day and no one's come to visit. Don't think I don't know what people say about me behind my back. That's why no one's come to see me." She half turned, giving Chakotay a brief view of her tear-stained cheek. "If you're going to lie, I'd rather you just leave me alone."

"I'm not lying. You're in sickbay for a reason. Do you remember why you're here?" Chakotay was just over an arm's length away from the bio bed. He thought it a safe distance.

"Of course I know why I'm here. My ship was attacked by Borg. I don't know how your crew managed to save me, but I'm glad you did."

"It was nothing. We could hardly leave you to suff --" His words were cut off as Seven twirled around too fast to be believed.

With a speed that caught Chakotay off guard, she leaned over the bed and grabbed him by his uniform before he could so much as draw a breath. Her Borg-enhanced hand wrapped around his shirt and she pulled him in against her. He barely had time to register her actions when she shocked him anew by enveloping him in a passionate kiss. She moulded against him in a way he thought physically impossible for the stiff-backed drone.

Luckily, his astonishment didn't prevent his brain from staying in control. He grabbed her arms and pried them from around his neck. It took a fair bit of effort, but he managed to push her off him and back onto the bed. As soon as he was free, he backed out of range.

She was pouting and crying again, but he wasn't going to fall for it a second time.

"You can drop the act right now. Just because you're a teenager, doesn't mean you can behave this way."

"You don't know what it's like to be alone." She gave a pitiable sob. "I don't --" The tears suddenly dried.

Chakotay wondered if the youth's unpredictable hormones had been assimilated along with her distraught personality. However, before he could worry about a teenage fit, Seven's visage grew decidedly feral.

"Computer, erect a force field around the surgical bay," he said quickly. He was just in time too. The bright blue snapped up just as Seven took a leap from the bed at him.

She hit the force field over and over, yelling at him in Klingon.

Chakotay was about to call for help, but he didn't have to. The Doctor came out, drawn by the sudden noises.

"What happened?"

Chakotay choked on his tongue a second, caught between telling the truth and giving an edited version. "I don't know. She just changed and attacked." He thought it best to protect the little dignity Seven had left. Jokes and exaggerated stories were already spreading like fire about how she attacked B'Elanna. Seven didn't need the added embarrassment of having kissed a commanding officer. It seemed cruel to so expose her only exhibition of teenage rebellion.

The Doctor grabbed a hypospray and entered the surgical bay, the force field flashing blue as his program went through. Seven backed up, still shouting in Klingon. The Doctor moved swiftly, injecting her with a sedative. Chakotay watched as her eyes closed and her body went limp.

Chakotay took down the force field and helped the Doctor move her. He swung her legs onto the bed while the Doctor lifted her by the shoulders. Chakotay tried to settle her legs into a comfortable-looking position. The Doctor walked around the bed, fastening restraints as he went.

Despite the violent nature of the past few minutes, Seven looked different. In sleep she appeared more human and with the restraints holding her to the bio bed, she looked smaller, like a normal woman in sickbay for a serious illness. Chakotay found himself staring at her. It took a second for him to realize that the Doctor was talking.

"Klingon, Vulcan, Human…" The Doctor tossed a report onto the tray he had picked off the messy floor of the surgical bay. "I don't know what to do." He sighed. "Sorry, Commander. What can I help you with?"

"I wanted to see how she was doing." He fell silent, his eyes fixed on Seven's prone form.

The Doctor looked knowingly between Chakotay and Seven. "Ah, yes, I understand. It's not easy seeing her like this."

"She's usually so…"

The Doctor finished for him. "…in control."

Chakotay nodded. They stood shoulder to shoulder, watching Seven's deep breathing. The Doctor thought about the medical enigma that was plaguing his patient and possible treatments. It was a short list of options.

Chakotay thought about his past dealings with Seven. It suddenly occurred to him that he might have wronged her. Others in the crew had been able to talk to him for any reason. It was impossible for him to count the number of times Harry, Neelix, or any of the other crewmembers had come to talk or run ideas by him. That's what he was there for. However, Seven had never been to see him and he had never sought her out. Most days she was an island unto herself.

Just a few hours ago he confessed to Janeway that his feelings about Seven had changed. Since first bringing her onboard, Seven had so drastically changed that Chakotay had no choice but to change his mind. And yet, he had never given any hint to either one of them about this change. Did Seven avoid him? He knew she occasionally spent time with Janeway, Tuvok, Harry, Tom, the Doctor, even with B'Elanna when it was a group gathering.

Something Seven said to him a few minutes earlier nagged at him. No one came to see her in sickbay. Janeway had, but besides her… Borg drone or not, Seven didn't deserve to spend such a long and frightening stretch in sickbay with no friends or colleagues visiting.

Seven had only to reach out and almost any one of the crewmembers would befriend her. Unfortunately, Seven was not one to reach out because she didn't know how. Denied a normal childhood and socialization, she didn't know how to be a friend. Perhaps, he thought, he should spend more time with her, encourage her to mingle with the crew, show her that he and the others cared.

Finally, Chakotay tore his gaze and mind away. He nodded to the Doctor and left quickly, mind spinning with ideas. First, they had to get that vinculum neutralized and then he could try building up trust with the crewmember who needed it the most.


End file.
